Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I see. A problem is that nobody who has participated in the process so far sees it as independent and robust. When it was initiated, they were told it would take eight weeks. Let us be clear that it is a paper review and eight weeks was more than ample time for the Minister to decide that some issues related to the Judiciary or land law and could be parked. Those issues are not contributing to any delay in this scenario whatsoever. Two months ago, the Minister told us here that she had these outcomes and would communicate with people. Now, we are told that people may hear back over the next couple of months. There are going to be a great many very distressed people when they hear this.

I have made the point previously that we know that, of some of the cases that have been referred to the panel, not even preliminary inquiries were made by it into some of the information contained in the reports. Therefore, it could not in any way have constituted a robust inquiry; it was a paper review. In some ways, this will create a bigger problem than in solving one, if they are to receive an answer perhaps some time before Christmas. The Minister has not explained where the shift has occurred.

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